Beacon Hill Roll Call

The House and Senate Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on three roll calls from prior legislative sessions.

By Bob Katzen/bob@beaconhillrollcall.com

How long was last week’s session?

During the week of Sept. 22-26, the House met for a total of 59 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 31 minutes.

The House and Senate Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on three roll calls from prior legislative sessions. There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week.

$500,000 to study how to reduce health care costs (H 4900) — The House, 133-24, and the Senate, 34-4, overrode Gov. Patrick’s veto of the entire $500,000 in funding for a study of how to reduce health-care costs.

Supporters of keeping the $500,000 said that this is a worthwhile study that could eventually save million of dollars.

In his veto message, Patrick said the study is unnecessary.

Some opponents of keeping the $500,000 study said that one of the ways to save money on health-care costs is not to waste $500,000 on a study on how to reduce health-care costs.

A “Yes” vote is for overriding Patrick’s reduction and for keeping the $500,000.

A “No” vote is against overriding Patrick’s reduction and against keeping the $500,000.

Biofuel (S 2814) — The House, 154-0, approved and Gov. Patrick signed into law a bill designed to encourage the development of advanced biofuels in Massachusetts.

Woodchips and switchgrass are some of the wood and grasses used to make biofuel. The measure would reduce the state’s 21-cent-per-gallon gas tax in proportion to the amount of biofuel in each gallon of gas and mandate that home-heating oil and diesel fuel contain 5 percent of biofuel by 2013.

Supporters said that this important legislation would preserve the environment, reduce energy costs and greenhouse-gas emissions, create jobs, spark the economy and make Massachusetts less dependent on foreign oil.

Protect military families from predatory insurance sales (H 4508) — The House, 153-0, approved and sent to the Senate legislation requiring the state’s insurance commissioner to establish and adopt rules and regulations to protect members of the military and their families from unscrupulous sales practices from companies and individuals that sell insurance.

Supporters said that the Federal Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act requires states to adopt a law providing this protection. They noted that when soldiers go overseas, they are concerned with protecting their families and are often easy prey for these misleading and outrageous practices.

Creative Economy Council (H 4965) — The House gave final approval to and sent to the Senate a bill creating a Massachusetts Creative Economy Council. The proposal defines the creative economy as “industry sectors that center on providing creative services such as advertising or architecture or creating and promoting intellectual property products such as arts, film, computer games, multimedia or design.”

Supporters said that the council would work with designers, artists, cultural institutions and businesses to boost the growing creative economy. They argued that this is an important effort that directly creates jobs and increases business for restaurants and stores in the areas surrounding these ventures.

Opponents said that the state should not be singling out specific business sectors for assistance. They argued that the state should make Massachusetts friendlier to all businesses.

Only final Senate approval is necessary prior to the measure going to Gov. Patrick.

Blood donations (H 4547) — Gov. Patrick signed into law a measure allowing 16-year-olds to donate blood with their parents’ permission.

Supporters said that there is a blood shortage in Massachusetts and noted that the state imports an estimated 30 percent of its blood supply from neighboring states. They argued that lowering the age would increase the blood supply and noted that unlike older adults with illnesses, the overwhelmingly majority of 16-year-olds are in perfect health and would not be disqualified from donating blood.

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